Chantal van den Helder, Rachel Plak, Sander Begeer, Martijn Meeter
{"title":"Co-occurring Conditions and Quality of Life in Autistic Children Attending General Education or Special Education Schools.","authors":"Chantal van den Helder, Rachel Plak, Sander Begeer, Martijn Meeter","doi":"10.1007/s10803-025-06839-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-025-06839-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A majority of children with autism is diagnosed with one or more co-occurring mental health conditions. We aimed to explore how co-occurring conditions and Quality of Life differ between school types (general education vs. special education schools), and whether co-occurring conditions were subject to the same trends over time for the two school types. Secondary, we aimed to analyze associations with child characteristics. Repeated cross- sectional data from 2013 to 2022 on children with autism (N = 1534,aged 5-15 years) in the Netherlands were used. Across school types, we showed a decrease in externalizing and language-learning conditions over time. Language-learning conditions became more concentrated in special education schools. Hyperactivity-inattention difficulties remained stable, emotional difficulties decreased and behavioral difficulties increased. Compared to those in general education, children in special education schools faced more behavioral and hyperactivity-inattention challenges. School type, duration of the study, externalizing, internalizing and language-learning conditions were all unrelated to QoL. Autistic girls experienced more behavioral difficulties compared to boys with autism. In conclusion, children with autism in special education schools experience similar QoL, but have more (severe) co-occurring conditions than those attending general education.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":"3988-4000"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13538233/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144019660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chang Liu, Yijian Yang, Kelly Arbour-Nicitopoulos, Rainbow Tin-Hung Ho, Juanita Sin-Ting Cheung, Andes Leung, Cindy Hui-Ping Sit
{"title":"Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity and Suicidal Ideation in Adolescents with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: the Mediating Effects of Mental Health.","authors":"Chang Liu, Yijian Yang, Kelly Arbour-Nicitopoulos, Rainbow Tin-Hung Ho, Juanita Sin-Ting Cheung, Andes Leung, Cindy Hui-Ping Sit","doi":"10.1007/s10803-025-06809-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-025-06809-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to (a) examine whether device-assessed moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was associated with suicidal ideation (SI) in adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHD), (b) investigate whether the association was mediated by depression, and (c) assess whether anxiety, stress, and resilience would work with depression to constitute chain mediation paths between MVPA and SI. Sixty adolescents with ADHD aged 12-17 (Mage = 14.33 ± 1.43 years) met the inclusion criteria. MVPA data were assessed using accelerometers worn around the waist for seven consecutive days. SI, depression, anxiety, stress, and resilience were examined using self-report questionnaires. Bivariate correlations were estimated for all variables. Lavaan package was used to examine the association between MVPA and SI, and the mediating effects of depression, anxiety, stress, and resilience by adjusting for a minimally sufficient confounder set and applying the bootstrap method. MVPA was negatively associated with SI. Depression fully mediated this association. Anxiety, stress, and resilience combining with depression formed three chain mediation paths between MVPA and SI, respectively. The integrative mediation model, including anxiety, stress, resilience, and depression, revealed that anxiety and depression explained 38.2% of the variance in the association between MVPA and SI, and resilience and depression explained 22.1%, while stress did not. MVPA could serve as an alternative or adjunctive approach, particularly in conjunction with depression-focused interventions, to increase resilience, decrease anxiety and depression, and in turn to prevent or attenuate SI in adolescents with ADHD.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":"3765-3773"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13538217/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143993864","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Min Liu, Yuran Luo, Xiaopeng Bai, Yanxia Wang, Xinyu Hu, Mudi Sun, Lu Qu, Xuling Han, Hang Zhao, Haidan Lu, Qiaoyun Liu
{"title":"Expressive Vocabulary in Mandarin-Speaking Autistic, Developmentally Delayed, and Typically Developing Children: A Cross-sectional Study.","authors":"Min Liu, Yuran Luo, Xiaopeng Bai, Yanxia Wang, Xinyu Hu, Mudi Sun, Lu Qu, Xuling Han, Hang Zhao, Haidan Lu, Qiaoyun Liu","doi":"10.1007/s10803-025-06875-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-025-06875-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Research investigating the characteristics of expressive vocabulary in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is limited, particularly in cross-linguistic contexts. This study aimed to systematically identify the characteristics of expressive vocabulary in 3- to 6-year-old Mandarin-speaking children with ASD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analyzed 10-min spontaneous language samples from parent-child free play sessions involving 21 children with ASD, 18 developmentally matched children with developmental delay (DD), and 15 chronologically age-matched typically developing (TD) children. The analysis was based on the grammatical characteristics of Mandarin.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>All three groups demonstrated a preference for verbs. Children in the ASD group showed a significantly lower number of tokens and types than those in the TD group in 11 content word categories and five function word categories. The ASD group exhibited greater similarities with the DD group in most vocabulary categories regarding the number of tokens, types, and type-to-token ratio (TTR) but still displayed subtle differences. Notably, the ASD group had a significantly higher total TTR than the TD and DD groups. The number of types of common nouns, number of tokens of pronouns were significantly lower in the ASD group than in the DD group.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These preliminary findings suggest that the language development of TD children is reflected in standardized tests and vocabulary expression in spontaneous language samples compared to children with ASD. Additionally, the qualitative differences in expressive vocabulary between the DD and ASD groups indicate that children with ASD may exhibit atypical vocabulary learning mechanisms.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":"4147-4163"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143991479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zixuan Chen, Jiewei Zheng, Yang Gao, Jing Fang, Ying Wang, Hui Chen, Tengfei Wang
{"title":"Do Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders Show Selective Trust in Social Robots?","authors":"Zixuan Chen, Jiewei Zheng, Yang Gao, Jing Fang, Ying Wang, Hui Chen, Tengfei Wang","doi":"10.1007/s10803-024-06474-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-024-06474-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Previous researches suggest that social robots can facilitate the learning of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by enhancing their interests, engagement, and attention. However, there is limited understanding regarding whether children with ASD can learn directly from the testimony of social robots and whether they can remain vigilant based on the perceived accuracy of these robots. Therefore, the present study was conducted to examine whether children with ASD demonstrated selective trust towards social robots.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twenty-nine children with ASD between ages of 4-7 years, and 38 typically-developing (TD) age and IQ-matched peers participated in classic selective trust tasks. During the tasks, they learned the names of novel objects from either a pair of social robots or a pair of human informants, where one informant had previously been established as accurate and the other inaccurate.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Children with ASD trusted information from an accurate social robot over an inaccurate one, similar to their performance with human informants. However, compared to TD children, children with ASD exhibited lower levels of selective trust regardless of the type of informants they learned from.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our study suggests that children with ASD can selectively trust and acquire knowledge from social robots, shedding light on the potential use of social robots in supporting individuals with ASD.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":"4175-4182"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141626769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Systematic Review of Symptoms of Catatonia in Autism Spectrum Disorder.","authors":"Syeda Hasan, Irshad Hussain, Laura Chadwick, Rachel Moir, Ameera Iqbal, Rohan Morris, Dipti Patil","doi":"10.1007/s10803-025-06855-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-025-06855-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Catatonia is a complex neuropsychiatric syndrome characterized by disturbances in mood, motor function, behavior and speech. It is increasingly recognized in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), although its identification remains challenging due to the overlapping clinical features of the two conditions. Shared characteristics, such as echophenomena, mannerisms, social indifference and repetitive behaviors can obscure accurate diagnosis. Although reports suggest a significant prevalence of catatonia among individuals with ASD, the condition remains poorly understood and frequently under recognized, leading to substantial diagnostic and treatment challenges. A systematic review was conducted to characterize the symptoms of catatonia in individuals with ASD. The literature search included peer-reviewed journal articles published in English from 1980 onward, focusing on studies examining co-occurring catatonia and ASD. A qualitative framework analysis was implemented to evaluate 45 peer-reviewed studies, with findings interpreted in relation to, and extending beyond, the diagnostic criteria for catatonia outlined in the International Classification of Diseases, 11th revision (ICD-11). The objective was to identify symptom patterns extending beyond current diagnostic frameworks and to support improved clinical recognition and diagnostic precision in ASD populations. The review identified six primary symptom clusters associated with catatonia in individuals with ASD: (1) psychomotor activity, (2) speech disturbances, (3) changes in behavior/skills/functions, (4) mental health symptoms, (5) physiological symptoms, and (6) symptoms related to arousal and awareness. Notably, several symptoms observed within these clusters are not currently included in the ICD-11 diagnostic criteria for catatonia. These additional symptoms include tics, motor compliance, incoherent speech, self-injury, impaired cognition, and appetite changes, suggesting a broader clinical presentation of catatonia in ASD populations than is presently captured in existing diagnostic frameworks. The findings of this review highlight the significance of enhancing clinicians' awareness and understanding of how catatonia manifests in individuals with ASD. Most notably, six symptom clusters, psychomotor changes, speech disturbances, behavioral and functional regression, affective and psychiatric symptoms, physiological symptoms, and arousal/awareness disturbances, were observed. Several symptoms identified in this review are not included in the current diagnostic criteria, and their recognition may facilitate in earlier identification and timely intervention, potentially preventing the severe consequences of untreated catatonia in this population.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":"4047-4060"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144016228","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Associations of Down Syndrome with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder Among Children and Adolescents.","authors":"Xin Wang, Chunhua Wang, Lizi Lin, Wei Bao, Buyun Liu, Baihua Lin, Lijie Zhang, Guifeng Xu","doi":"10.1007/s10803-025-06834-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-025-06834-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Children with Down syndrome (DS) are more likely to be diagnosed with co-existing conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, the correlation has not been fully delineated to date. Our study aimed to examine the associations of DS with ASD and ADHD in children and adolescents using a national population-based database. In this cross-sectional study, we included a total of 214,300 children aged 3-17 years from the National Health Interview Survey. Physician-diagnosed DS, ASD and ADHD were reported during an in-person household interview. Logistic regression with survey sampling weights was used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) of ASD and ADHD, along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Among the 214,300 children, 329 were identified as having DS. Among those, 21 children were diagnosed with ASD, 48 with ADHD, and 6 exhibited co-existing ASD and ADHD. After adjusting for demographic factors, compared to those without DS, the ORs of ASD, ADHD and the co-occurrence of ASD and ADHD in children with DS were 5.40 (95% CI: 3.04-9.59), 1.72 (95% CI: 1.17-2.53), and 3.45(95% CI:1.29-9.20), respectively. Stratified analysis revealed that significant associations of DS with ASD and ADHD were detected for both male and female, but an interaction effect was only observed between sex and ASD (P < 0.001). Our study confirmed that children with DS are more likely to have comorbidities of ASD and ADHD than the general population, and these comorbidities may vary by sex.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":"4001-4009"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13538150/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144007821","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fernanda Esqueda Villegas, Steffie van der Steen, Alexander Minnaert
{"title":"First-Hand Experiences of Autistic Students About Teacher Autonomy Support, Structure, and Involvement: A Video-Stimulated Recall (Interview) Study.","authors":"Fernanda Esqueda Villegas, Steffie van der Steen, Alexander Minnaert","doi":"10.1007/s10803-025-06861-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-025-06861-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Opportunities for children and adolescents to share their views in society and research remain scarce, especially in terms of their first-hand learning experiences. This problem extends to autism research, where the voices of autistic people are under-represented. Therefore, this study investigated the classroom experiences of autistic students in mainstream secondary schools in the Netherlands and Mexico, focusing on their perceptions of teachers' autonomy-support, structure, involvement and classroom interactions. Using video-stimulated recall (VSR) interviews, we recorded 13 students' thoughts and emotional reactions while viewing two of their videotaped lessons. The data were analyzed qualitatively using both deductive and inductive approaches to provide a narrative of the aspects that autistic students reported affected their learning. Autistic learners had varied reactions to autonomy support, but they all valued different types of structure provided by their teachers, which increased their confidence in achieving goals (i.e. completing a task) and provided a sense of mastery. In particular, fear of making mistakes, especially due to negative reactions from classmates, was a recurring problem for autistic students. Teachers who were approachable, understanding and supportive made a significant difference for these students. Finally, autistic participants relied on both the teacher and peer interactions to gain clarity on tasks and move forward. Our findings highlight fundamental issues that all secondary school teachers could consider in their daily practice. We propose that VSR method can serve as a solid basis for conducting interviews with autistic youth and move towards a more inclusive approach in autism research.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":"4092-4106"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13538180/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143984915","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anamarija Žic Ralić, Sara Bubalo, Marijana Vrankić Pavon
{"title":"Social and Emotional Competencies of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or Intellectual Disability.","authors":"Anamarija Žic Ralić, Sara Bubalo, Marijana Vrankić Pavon","doi":"10.1007/s10803-025-06864-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-025-06864-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Children with ASD and children with ID face numerous challenges in social and emotional functioning. The aim of this study is to explore differences in social and emotional competencies between children with ASD, children with ID and children with comorbid ASD/ID. Methods: Parents (N = 177) assessed the social and emotional competencies of elementary school-aged children with ASD (N = 50), children with ID (N = 84), and children with comorbid ASD/ID (N = 43) using the Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA). DESSA measures 8 key social and emotional competencies. In our study, no differences in social and emotional competencies were found between children with ASD and children with ID. Children with comorbid ASD/ID did not differ from children with ASD, but compared to children with ID, parents rated their self-awareness, social awareness, relationship skills, and optimistic thinking as significantly lower. The results were discussed considering the type of school attended by the children, the level of intellectual disability of children with ID, and the complexity of functioning of children with ASD. All three groups of children require tailored interventions for social and emotional learning to support their functioning in daily activities at home, at school and in peer groups.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":"4107-4120"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144012583","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M P Janicki, P McCallion, N Jokinen, F K Larsen, D Mughal, V Palanisamy, F Santos, K Service, A Shih, S Shooshtari, A Thakur, G Tiziano, K Watchman
{"title":"Autism and Dementia: A Summative Report from the 2nd International Summit on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia.","authors":"M P Janicki, P McCallion, N Jokinen, F K Larsen, D Mughal, V Palanisamy, F Santos, K Service, A Shih, S Shooshtari, A Thakur, G Tiziano, K Watchman","doi":"10.1007/s10803-025-06843-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-025-06843-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This article synthesizes findings, from the Autism/Dementia Work Group of the 2nd International Summit on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia, on the nature of autism/autism spectrum disorder and later-age neuropathologies, particularly dementia. The convened group of experts explored genetic, neurobiological, and environmental risk factors that may affect the lifespan and lived experiences of older adults with autism. A review of current literature indicates a lack of comprehensive information on the demographics and factors associated with aging in autistic adults. However, our understanding of autism is evolving, challenging traditional views of it as a static, inherited neurodevelopmental disorder. The relationship between autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions-such as Down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, and tuberous sclerosis complex-reflects the complex genetic landscape of neurodevelopmental disorders. These genetic and familial factors may contribute to progressive health challenges and cognitive decline in later life. Key findings reveal a complex link between autism and dementia, despite limited research on this relationship, particularly among older adults. The overall prevalence of dementia in this population appears to be influenced by co-occurring intellectual disabilities, particularly Down syndrome. While the association between autism and specific types of dementia is still not well understood, the reviewed evidence suggests a notable connection with frontotemporal dementia, although causality has not been established. Exploration of biomarkers may offer further insights. Currently, the relationship between autism, cognitive health, and cognitive decline in older adults remains a complex and underexplored area of research.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":"4035-4046"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13538212/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143972556","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Katherine Pye, Lisa Gold, Ha N D Le, Teresa Iacono
{"title":"\"What My Son Needs Is Me. What I Need Is... Guidance\": Caregiver Perspectives About Early Autism Supports Amid Changing Attitudes and Policies.","authors":"Katherine Pye, Lisa Gold, Ha N D Le, Teresa Iacono","doi":"10.1007/s10803-025-06850-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10803-025-06850-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The effectiveness of early supports for Autistic children has predominantly been measured in terms of changes in their development, such as language, cognition or adaptive behaviour. The benefits of early supports to children include, and are moderated by, effects on caregivers and families. We sought to understand perspectives of primary caregivers of children who, whether or not formally diagnosed, they believed to be Autistic, about the value of different aspects of early supports. We interviewed 19 caregivers, selected from a larger survey sample (n = 95) to cover a range of backgrounds and experiences accessing supports. We conducted reflexive thematic analysis to identify themes. We identified four themes through reflexive thematic analysis. Themes reflected common aspirations to optimise their children's future wellbeing. Despite public funding for early supports, families' other resources (especially time and mental load) were under pressure, impacting other activities such as employment and family relationships. Participants preferred supports that were adaptable to their changing needs, neuroaffirming and practical; they particularly valued authentic emotional support from therapists and sought providers they could trust. Our analysis suggests that family experiences of accessing supports might be just as important as the intended outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":"4121-4134"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13538209/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144020521","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}